Radiant Light of the Dark Side: Episode I
by blackducky
Summary: /on hold/ True to the original, this story goes through the retelling of Anakin's story through the eyes of someone lesser known: someone who was there through it all ... Somewhat AU.
1. I Remember

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_**Written By Celeste Shinra**_

_(EPISODE I: The Phantom Menace)_ please watch the movie first

CHAPTER ONE "I Remember ..."

_There is no emotion …_

_There is peace …_

_There is no ignorance …_

_There is knowledge …_

_There is no passion …_

_There is serenity …_

_There is no death …_

_There is the Force …_

I can remember the first time I heard that. It was from a Jedi Knight, an Obi-Wan Kenobi. His eyes were like hot chocolate that burned into your eyes, sending steady shivers down your throat and through your entire body. It was like he was sending the Force to me just by looking at me. I knew he was a Jedi Master from that moment and from that moment on my life was changed.

My name is Eagle WingRunner and I am an Eagle-human hybrid, one of the last or the only one, I suppose. Hybrids are treated worse than slaves but maybe that's just a Tatooine thing. I have lived here in this desert junkyard all my life. Abandoned at a small spaceport, I was immediately put into slavery. Of course, after my first owner discovered what I truly was, he sold me to a factory where I would no doubt spend the rest of my life working with machines.

I was only ten years old when I ran away from the factory and ever since then, I had been living off scraps and anything else I could find. I never complained about my life. I did not fully comprehend the injustice I had been dealt. A human knows it is a human because it is surrounded by others like, its own kind. So how do I figure out what I am? I know that I am a hybrid because of my odd appearance but am I something more or merely that.

Oh, but I am wandering off topic. What was I speaking of at first? Ah yes, my encounter with the Jedi Knight. The real first time I met him was when he was just a Padawan to Master Qui-Gon. Yet another fine Jedi to speak of. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were both stranded on Tatooine and were eager to continue on their 'secret mission'. I was to know nothing of it until hours later …

"Come back here, thief!"

"Someone, get that girl!"

_Right, as if they could catch—Aaahhh!_

"Aim higher! Haven't you ever shot a laser before!"

_These soldiers are unfortunately improving._

A young girl swung sharply around a corner, her short brown braid whipping against the wall. She glanced up and grimaced. _Dead end. Alright, no problem ..._ Crouching low, she sprang off her back legs and bounded off the walls. When she reached the top, she turned and looked down at the group of guards.

"Where did she go?" one said, kicking at the garbage in the alley.

"Hey, up there!" another shouted, aiming his laser at the girl.

The girl dodged to the right, narrowly missing the laser. Then, flipping back, she took off and leapt from one roof to the next. Soon, the guards were left behind, struggling to follow her through the buildings. Landing softly on the ground, she looked around cautiously before running across the street to a small fruit stand.

"Well gracious me, don't you look wonderful today, Wing?" Jira glanced up from her stand, smiling. She stretched out her hand and patted the girl's head gently. The girl, Wing, closed her eyes in satisfaction. "What kind of goods do you have for me, child?"

_The most delicious fruit!_ Wing pulled out a small bag and shoved it into Jira's arms. With a smile, she put her hand in and pulled out two large pallies. _They are enormous, aren't they?_

"Oh my, they're almost as big as your fist, Wing! These will be sold in a blink." Jira set the bag down and started setting up the fruit. "How in the world did you get these, Wing?"

_Found them in a tree and picked them._ Wing pantomimed climbing a tree by climbing up the post next to Jira's stand. Then, she easily leaped down and landed on her feet. _It was rather easy considering the guards, of course_. She swung her head, gesturing to the rooftop.

"I bet it was easy for you, though." Jira gave the bag back to Wing, a big smile on her face. "You don't seem to have any trouble at all, Wing. You look like a sweet little angel with those things in your hair." Jira winked, messing with the white feathers in the young girl's tousled brown hair.

_I am surprised you didn't name me Angel. It would have been very human of you._ Wing grinned. Her ears began to twitch and she tossed her head behind her. Her golden eyes narrowed suddenly, trying to see ahead on the street. What an odd looking creature, flapping about with his long ears and funny accent. Sebulba doesn't look too happy with him either.

"What is it, child? Something wrong?" Jira settled back into her seat, waiting for the girl to answer.

_It is nothing too serious,_ Wing watched as the froglike nonhuman, the odd looking creature, was pushed to the ground by Sebulba. The Dug was the biggest bully in Mos Espa. His four arms were his advantage in the fact that he could use them all interchangeably. One could never tell where the next blow would come from.

_Little leech._ Wing was about to bound over and help the amphibian when she saw a small boy approach Sebulba. There was a short conversation in Huttese with Sebulba snarling and turning away. That little kid had quite some courage, for a human, she admitted with a frown.

"Wing? What's drawn your interest?" Jira asked again, patient and kind.

_Nothing, Jira. Just someone kicking up dust._ Wing balanced on the end of the post and gave the human woman a small smile.

"Nothing, right? Well then, you better be on your way home. No telling when those guards will come and catch you." Jira waved her off and the girl slowly turned and made her way up the wall. When Jira watched her leap up onto the roof, she breathed a sad sigh. "I wish that girl would talk. The poor thing." Then, she went back to her seat and settled her fruits on the stand just as some new customers, and an old one, came over.

Wing rested on the roof, watching the group of humans approach Jira's fruit stand. There was the young boy and girl, then an older man and finally came the froglike thing. She was too far up to hear what they were saying clearly but that was okay. As long as she could see them, she might be able to sneak something off them. Her eyes dropped as her mind concentrated on the smallest of the group.

He had light brown hair and clear blue eyes. Turning her attention away from his face, she went to his pocket._ Four truguts. A good meal could be bought with that_, she smiled as she started climbing down the other side of the wall. When she reached the ground, her mind slowed and she forced her body to disappear. It was an old trick she had taught herself when she was little. It was a way to not only disappear from the eye but from the senses as well. There was no creature alive that could sense her. Inching forward, she weaved through the group, ignoring the others.

"I'll take four pallies today, Jira." The little boy said. He turned to a young girl with soft brown hair. Wing was quick and whipped her hand into his pocket but the boy was quicker and dug his own hand inside. There was only enough room to grab one of the truguts. Snorting quietly, she backed out of the group, keeping a wary eye on them.

"You'll like these." The boy told the girl. Then there was a slight look of worry on his face and he hastily pulled out the remaining coins. One dropped to the ground. He bent down to grab it at the same time that the older man bent down to retrieve it. As he did, his coat shifted, and Wing caught a glimpse of a laser sword stuck in his belt.

Jedi? Wing's eyes widened and she inspected the man once more. This time, with more scrutiny. He was tall for a human with long graying hair and a small, neat beard. His clothes seemed to match the ones slaves wore. How could a Jedi be a slave? She had heard stories of the Jedi and although most of them were vague and sometimes unbelievable, she was intrigued by them nonetheless.

"_Promise me, you'll train the boy. He is the Chosen one. He will … bring balance … train him__!" _

Wing felt her mind twitch and an involuntary shiver ran through her body. One of her less helpful powers that still remained unnamed. Bits and pieces of the past and future would come to her at specific points in time but none of them ever made sense. Shaking her head of the fading voice, she turned her attention back to the present.

"Gracious, my bones are aching." Jira said as she handed the boy the pallies. The wind was rising and shopkeepers were taking down their awnings and putting up shutters. "Storm's coming, Annie. You'd better get home quick."

"Do you have shelter?" Annie, short for Anakin probably, asked the tall stranger. Wing watched the older man, curious. There were not a lot of places to hide in a storm and she hadn't prepared herself for it. She could feel her powers dwindling but would it be wise to join these humans?

"We'll head back to our ship," the older man replied.

"Is it far?" Anakin asked after hesitating.

"On the outskirts," the young girl told him.

_So they aren't from around here? This is all so curious_. Wing watched them and her gaze fell upon the froglike creature. That explained him then.

"You'll never reach the outskirts in time," Anakin stated. "Sandstorms are very, very dangerous. Come with me. Hurry!" The boy took off after he was sure they were following, unaware that he had invited one more than he intended.

The slave hovels of Mos Espa were little and stacked tightly. Wing had to duck to get through the doorway and creep along the wall to avoid any contact. One drawback to her power was even though they could not sense her, they would still be able to feel if they were too close. The boy Anakin was rushing toward a dark-haired woman of around forty, presumably his mother.

"Oh my! Annie, what's this?"

Anakin introduced the others. The older tall man was named Qui-Gon and the froglike creature was named Jar Jar Binks. Padme, the young girl, gestured to a droid next to her. "And our droid, Artoo-Detoo."

Hoping that there was somewhere to sleep, the hybrid moved her eyes around the small area. Wing inched around the table into another room. The walls were the same lumpy, sand-colored walls as any other building in Mos Espa but for some reason, Wing expected the room to be different. There were random odd bits and pieces around, just like a junkshop. Then, her mind clicked. Ah, that's where I've seen him before. Watto's slave boy that works in the junkshop. She let her hands run smoothly over a workbench, wondering what sort of inventions Anakin had completed.

"Isn't he great?" Anakin came in through the door, dragging Padme behind him. They both came forward to the workbench and stood in front of a partially completed android. Wing quickly dived to the bed, hoping the sound didn't alarm them. Padme briefly glanced in her direction but Anakin pulled her back. "He's not finished yet."

"He's wonderful!" Padme reassured him.

Wing tilted her head as Anakin turned the android on. It began to hum, then jerked several times, and finally stood up. It introduced itself as See-Threepio in a prim, precise voice. Wing was very impressed. There were many mechanics on Mos Espa who designed androids but she had never heard any of them start at such a young age. The other droid, R2-D2, wheeled itself into the room, beeping and whistling at the protocol droid.

_That is one sassy droid._ Wing grinned, tilting her head at the droid.

"I'm building a Podracer, too! When the storm is over, you can see it!" Anakin said enthusiastically. Wing brought herself back out of her thoughts and watched as Anakin showed Padme one incomprehensible gadget after another. Soon, his mother called them to dinner. The two humans left the room, Anakin in the front. Wing sighed and got off the bed, settling down in the corner near the door. From her position, she could watch them without them noticing her and hear the conversation as well. Letting her guard down, she became visible. With some sleep, she would be able to get some of her strength back.

"I … I was wondering – you're a Jedi Knight, aren't you?" She heard Anakin ask.

"What makes you think that?" Qui-Gon asked.

"I saw your laser sword," Anakin replied. "Only Jedi carry that kind of weapon."

Wing lifted her head, watching the tall stranger's response. He didn't seem disturbed by this at all. He leaned back, and with a slow smile, said, "Perhaps I killed a Jedi and stole it from him."

"I don't think so," Anakin said in a positive tone. "No one can kill a Jedi Knight."

"I wish that were so," Qui-Gon murmured, half to himself. A quick expression of sadness that crossed his face but a smile replaced it and Wing wondered if she had seen it at all. He moved his eyes to Anakin's room and for a second, Wing was sure she had been caught. She mentally scolded herself.

There was a better chance out in the storm that in here with humans. He would probably whip out his laser sword and slice her in two before she could blink.

Her body trembled as she waited for the Jedi to make his move but when none came, she tilted her head at him. He gave her a warm smile and she watched his hand wave slowly towards her. Her eyes felt heavy and her trembling body changed to a steady purr. Sleep soon overcame her and the last thing she saw was Qui-Gon's kind smile.

"That was an excellent dinner, Shmi." Padme complimented as she stood up to help carry the dishes. She gave a look to Jar Jar that said 'don't touch anything while I'm gone'. The Gungan frowned and walked into a different room, readying himself for a night of peaceful sleep. Padme sighed and turned to Anakin's mother. "Let me take those dishes for you."

"Why, thank you, Padme." Shmi smiled, letting the younger girl help. She turned around to Anakin. "And it's time for you to get to bed, Annie."

"Alright, Mom." Anakin got up from his seat and made his way to his room. He turned to Qui-Gon and gave a short wave. "Goodnight, Qui-Gon sir."

"Goodnight, Anakin." Qui-Gon smiled, waving back. He watched the boy walk through the door and pass the sleeping creature in the corner. Perhaps he was too tired to notice, Qui-Gon thought. Then, he saw Anakin stop and stare. He stood there for a second before looking over his shoulder at the Jedi Knight.

"Sir?" Anakin said quietly.

Qui-Gon raised a finger to his lips and gestured to the others in the kitchen. Anakin got the point and shut his mouth. Without another word, he took the blanket off his bed and draped it across the girl. Anakin then climbed into his own bed and snuggled as best as he could into the sheets.

"Qui-Gon, we should all get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a busy day." Padme came back from the kitchen, her hair in a slight disarray. Qui-Gon nodded. Getting up, he made his way to the other room. Soon, it was dark in the house and the only sound was the howling of the wind outside.

END OF CHAPTER ONE: "I remember …"


	2. My Hiatus is Over!

Hello all.

It's me again.

I realize that I haven't been updating a lot recently and it's really my muse's fault for letting me down.

So, here I am again to try and update as frequently as possible. Thank you so much for all of your reviews! They mean so much to me and you all are just awesome in them too. You offer a lot of advice and good ol' fashioned praise. Thanks a bunch to everyone! That in mind, I'm trying to restart my StarWars fanfic by making the chapters shorter and hopefully, a bit better written. I've edited the first chapter and so now, I will add the rest of the chapter one in shorter segments.

Moving on: I hope you all have fun reading my stories and I promise that my writing has improved over the long extension of time that I've been absent. If you want to further contact me with questions, comments, or even to just say hi, you can either email me (yes, I don't mind) or you can reach me at Gaia under the name ladyblackrose.

Cya all real soon!


	3. Podrace

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**CHAPTER TWO: "Podrace …"**

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Just before the break of dawn, there was a slight stir in the corner of Anakin's room. Wing's eyes slowly opened and she felt a huge yawn take over. Stretching out her limbs, she sighed with sleepy satisfaction. Then, her instincts took over. She jumped up, her back cramped against the wall, claws ready for an attack. There was a sound of falling cloth and she looked down.

_A blanket? But how did …_

"Did you sleep well?"

Scared out of her wits, Wing sprang to the ceiling, her claws clutching through the material. Her eyes moved around frantically for some sign of threat but all she found was the small little boy from before. He was sitting up in his bed, staring at her. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he looked back up at her with a huge grin.

"Wow!" Anakin pushed back the small sheet and got out of bed. He stood underneath her, a look of pure amazement on his face. "That was wizard!"

He thought that was cool? Wing cocked her head with her big golden eyes blinking rapidily, confused by his reaction. Any other human would have shrieked and probably thrown something at her. She looked briefly at his bed and to the blanket that she had abandoned.

_He gives without any thought of reward. _

Her golden eyes went into a haze. There were those voices again. This one sounded familiar but she couldn't put a face to it. Coming back to the present quickly, she glared down at the boy. Could he be trusted?

"My name is Anakin. What's yours?"

Wing flinched. He wanted to know her name? In addition to his peculiar request, he had introduced himself to her! She hesitated for a moment before she unclenched her claws from the ceiling and landed numbly in front of him. She pointed to the feathers in her hair, hoping he would understand her even though she could not speak.

_I've been called many things but I think Wing is the best._

There was a look of surprise on his face and it made her feel guilty. For the first time in her life, she wished she could talk. Wasn't her fault that she only spoke with her mind, her thoughts. It was unbelievable that she felt this way but she was sure that this boy meant no harm.

"I think Wing is a nice name." Anakin said slowly, his eyes on her.

_Well, it is not one I would have personally chosen but it…_ Wing suddenly raised her eyebrows, her thought trailing off.

"What name would you have chosen?" Anakin asked.

_I … you can hear me?_ Wing's eyes widened, surprised.

"Yeah, it's weird. How do you talk without moving your mouth?"

_I have always communicated this way._ Wing glared down at him. _How can you understand me?_

Anakin shrugged. He walked around and started out the door. "Would you like something to eat? My Mom will probably already be up."

_No! I … I … I don't wish for anyone else to know I'm here!_ Wing sprang forward, clutching his shoulder tightly but quickly letting go, not wanting to hurt the boy with her claws. Anakin looked back at her, unperturbed at all at her touch.

"Well, alright. If you don't want me to say anything, I won't."

_Thank you … Anakin._ Wing lowered her gaze, letting him go. _I promise to be of little trouble._

"It's alright, Wing." Anakin glanced out the door and waved to his mom in the kitchen. Shmi smiled and went on with her cooking. He turned back to Wing. "Qui-Gon knows about you too."

_The Jedi?_ Wing cautiously poked her head out the door and glanced at the table. Qui-Gon glanced up from his bowl and grinned, nodding to her. She felt her heart pound and she sank quickly back into the room. _I have never met a Jedi before ..._

"Oh don't be scared of him. He's very kind." Anakin urged but Wing backed up into the farthest corner of the room and sat down. Her mind felt like it had a hundred different voices in it and she couldn't concentrate.

_I should like to wait hear, if you wouldn't mind._

"Okay, I'll be back." Anakin came over and patted her knee with a smile. She nodded timidly. With a sigh of satisfaction, Anakin stood up and raced out of the room. A conversation followed, a sign that the others were also up. It sure did feel strange to be in a human's house. It felt even stranger knowing that two of them knew she was there and they didn't mind! The voices in her head diminished and she leaned against the wall, letting her own worried thoughts plague her.

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A couple days later found Wing standing nervously next to Anakin in the Podracer Arena. Though blind from everyone else, it seemed that only Anakin and Qui-Gon could sense her. In the time that she had been with them, she had been given more food than she could finish and clothes she could never hope for. A feeling of trust was soon established. Soon, Qui-Gon had no need to ask Anakin where the strange girl was. She followed him wherever he went like a shadow, never once leaving his side. Qui-Gon once compared her to a loyal and faithful stray. Wing would tilt her head in confusion and then look to Anakin who would just grin and nod as Qui-Gon would chuckle quietly while everyone else wondered what was funny. It was nice. Almost like having a family.

The Boonta Race was that day and judging by the size of the crowd in the Podracing hangar, it was a very important event. Wing could see natives of nearly every one of the Outer Rim worlds, from Malastare to Tund. Everyone in the race had brought their custom-designed Podracer and a crew of mechanics and droids to work on them.

_The prize money must be significant to attract so many,_ Wing commented, her eyes scanning through the racers. The race was about to start and she could feel the excitement swelling up in her. Though she was worried for Anakin's safety, she somehow was sure that everything would work out on its own accord.

_"Sebulba crashed! I won! I WON!"_

Anakin's voice was as clear in her head as his eyes were in front of her. Wing felt relief, knowing Anakin would win. It seemed that her powers were strengthening over time and she couldn't help but wonder if this human boy was the cause.

"Indeed, it would seem so." Qui-Gon answered her quietly. Wing wondered why his voice was so low. It was her lips that didn't work, not her ears. But she quickly understood as the other human girl, Padme came up to Anakin. She immediately stepped back, leaving enough space for her to pass. At the same time, she could sense Qui-Gon stiffen suddenly. It was clear that he was worried if Padme would try to talk Anakin out of the race or not. But all Padme did was kiss Anakin's cheek and say, "You carry all our hopes."

"I won't let you down," was Anakin's short reply. Padme nodded and left to join Shmi.

After Jabba the Hutt finished his introductions, the crowd cheered. Wing could feel worry jumping through Qui-Gon's head and felt a need to quell them but could not find the right words. She watched as the Jedi Knight lifted Anakin into the Podracer. He made sure the boy was properly strapped in. "Are you all set, Annie?"

The boy nodded. Qui-Gon hesitated. "Remember, concentrate on the moment. Feel. Don't think. Trust your instincts." He smiled, adding, "May the Force be with you." He nodded to Wing to follow and he walked to the stands to join the others. Wing bent down and quickly squeezed Anakin in a friendly embrace.

_Be safe …_

Anakin smiled and turned his attention back to the controls, doing last minute check-ups. Wing dashed over to Qui-Gon and silently planted herself on his right side, away from the others. His worries swam over into her mind and she instinctively laid her head on his shoulder. It was the most comfort she could give him without giving herself away. They both let their gaze fall upon the young slave.

_It is up to Anakin now._

_

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Two laps into the race and Anakin was barely within sight of the leading Podracers. His engines had crashed and died at the beginning. The fuel regulator had been manually adjusted to full open, and the engines had flooded. It was no surprise to Anakin. He had almost expected Sebulba to sabotage his Podracer. He had been able to ignite the engines but had a hard time catching up. Narrowly missing Tusken Raiders on the first lap, he had been lucky.

As he crossed the line for the third lap, he was just behind Sebulba. He whipped to the inside on the next tight corner and he took the lead. Keeping the lead was harder than taking it had been. With Sebulba on his tail and pushing him on every turn, it was hard for Anakin to stay in his hard-won position.

Then, something felt wrong—the left engine. The main inertial compensator was shaking loose. Quickly, he adjusted the controls to use the backup system, but he wasn't fast enough. When he was changing over, Sebulba passed him.

In the stands, Qui-Gon and Wing watched with grim anticipation. She knew that unless Anakin had some burst of speed, he would lose and with that, all of Qui-Gon's hopes. She knew her little friend would win but perhaps a little help would be okay.

Qui-Gon felt her leave and immediately looked to his side and down into the arena, hoping to catch some glimpse of her. Not even a shadow revealed her presence on the track. There was a small but strong surge in the Force and he knew immediately that she had reached him.

Looking back to the small, specialized view screen that Shmi held, he looked over Anakin's Podracer. If he hadn't been looking for it, he wouldn't have noticed the small feathers in the air behind the pod. It looked as if the pod itself was speeding faster then before but Qui-Gon knew better. He smiled to himself, glad that Anakin had the strength to handle the sudden burst speed.

Back in the seat, Anakin felt the difference of movement. Perhaps the ruined engine had come back online? Good, that meant he could pass Sebulba. As they came around the final turn, Anakin pretended to dodge to the inside. However, when Sebulba dodged to block him, Anakin swung wide, trying to pass on the outside. Unable to make it all the way around, he ended up side by side to Sebulba. Speeding down the stretch, they headed toward the finish line.

Sebulba deliberately slammed his pod into Anakin's. Gripping the controls, Anakin tried to keep from swerving out of control. There was a small grunt behind and Anakin was almost sure he heard a string of angry words. Sebulba smashed into him again, and his steering rods became tangled with Anakin's.

Fighting for control, Anakin could see Sebulba laughing as the finish line drew closer and closer. He tried to unlock the steering rods by pulling away from Sebulba's Podracer, but they were too tightly caught … and then, Anakin's steering rod broke from under the strain.

The Podracer began to spin. Grimly, Anakin hung on to the power controls. He had no steering and no stability but he could still change the engine's speed. By instinct and feel, he kept the Podracer on course. He didn't know where Sebulba was but he could see the finish line. The engines were going as fast as they could but were quickly slowing down. Anakin could hear it give up. He was so close! The pod couldn't stop now! He put it in full speed and hoped that it would get him to the finish line. A loud in-human screech vibrated behind him and Anakin almost jumped out of his seat. There was a mad flap of wings and a huge gust of air.

_You cannot give up now!_ The urgent and pleading voice resounded in Anakin's head and he couldn't help but smile. He didn't know how she got there but was happy she was. With a new burst of confidence, he kept the Podracer on the track and flew through the cloud of smoke and flame.

_That was Sebulba, Anakin! Go! Go!_ Wing urged, pushing herself as hard as she could. Her wings were waving madly in the air as if possessed, pushing the pod across the finish line in a furious speed. They came to a halt and the engines sputtered and died. There were cheers from the crowd and the stands. Anakin unstrapped himself and stood up. He didn't turn to Wing but spoke in excited whispers to her.

"Sebulba crashed! I won! I WON!"

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**END OF CHAPTER TWO: "Podrace ..."**


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